924 turbo cabrio

[tref]

Hi,

I seem to have acquired a basket case of 924 turbo cabrio...I believe it may have been converted by a company in the West Country - Porkies Conversions? Or something similar. Has any-one come across these previously? I found a brochure in the glovebox, tried placing a "1" in the old telephone number, but it wasn't known by the people with that number. I believe it was somewhere in Camborne? Any information would be gratefully received.

Anyway, I suspect we paid slightly over the odds for it, it really is awful, hole in the wing you can put your fist through, seized engine, half dismantled, so unsure even if all the bits are there, seized wheel bearings, handbrake, etc... Probably shouldn't be bothered with, but I'm a glutton for punishment, and am humouring myself with the fact these are all standard 924 bits... oh except the soft top is beyond repair too.

I haven't looked at the engine in it yet (other than to put a spanner on the crank and confirm it is seized), but if any-one knows of a cheap spare engine...

Regards,

Tref.

 

[tref]

Should have asked... are there any internal differences between a 924 and 924 turbo engine? Is it lower compression? If so, different pistons, or just the head... yes, I am thinking can I get away with any 924 engine (obviously not an S), or at least bottom end (the engine has been changed previously, so no originality gains by rebuilding the existing one).

Regards,

Tref.

 

[geoff Ives]

The engines are the same exept for
The Head
The cams
The pistons
The sump
The starter motor
The spark box
The alternator.[8D]
In other words NO.[]

 

[924nutter]

Er actually the cam is the same. Even the carrera gt uses the same valve timing, but Porsche chose to use a clear chill casting, for reasons best known to them. My guess is for extra durability. If you take out the through bolts from the alternator and rotate the front part of case the alternator will fit the normally aspirated engine. Also, to be strictly accurate for Geoff's difinitve list, the distributor is different too.

 

[usermjg]

By the sound of it, it looks like it would be cheaper to buy a 924 turbo and use as a donor car for the Cab, and then either keep or ebay any spare bits off

Marc

 

[tref]

Thanks guys...

Tref.

 

[geoff Ives]

ORIGINAL: usermjg

By the sound of it, it looks like it would be cheaper to buy a 924 turbo and use as a donor car for the Cab, and then either keep or ebay any spare bits off

Marc

Or just keep the donor car.[]

 

[usermjg]

Well i didnt like to say []

Marc

 

[tref]

You guys have no sense of adventure! As we have a 944lux(rattly daily driver) and a 944 turbo (was a daily driver, but wife has polished it to the point I'm not allowed to touch it anymore), don't think I could cope with yet another car (we also have a golf cabrio for sale, should any-one want one, and an Audi 100 estate we claim belongs to the dog).

Tref.

 

[usermjg]

i hear what you are saying, and my hat goes off to anyone wanting to restore a worthy course, but with list of things you have said are wrong with the car its just seams the easyiest, and cheapest option to buy a working donor car, even if the body is ropie but the mechanics are good and make one good one, and scrap the rest. Think about it for a while its a no brainer[] and you neighours will think your rockafella with all them lovley cars.
Anyway good luck with your project dont forget to post pictures as your going along would be good to see.

Marc

 

[geoff Ives]

Have you thought of applying for a lottery grant as a worthy course?

 

[tref]

A lottery grant.... no, but maybe PCGB should sponsor me!

I would agree it is normally a no-brainer to find a suitable running donor, if the right car came up, then yes, how-ever, I have a feeling that engine aside, most of the parts required are either service parts I would replace new, specific to the cabrio, which won't be donated from a standard car, or will probably be in the same condition. I don't really have the time or inclination to fund purchase of another car by selling parts, then disposing of the shell, no matter what the value of scrap at the moment!
The second hand parts I need are an engine, and a wing... I am guessing a running car will cost me say £4-500?? which may or may not give me a decent wing...that is an awful lot of shiny new engine components! Time to dispose of second car vs time to rebuild existing engine.
I guess I am hoping I might find an engine for something like £100-150 - is that reasonable? and save myself a whole lot of time...

We have given ourselves until May 17th next year to get it on the road, so it isn't going to be a ground-up rebuild in that time, but still quite an ambitious project. We took several photos on collection, and will continue as work progresses... maybe an article for Porsche Post in it somewhere.

Regards,

Tref.

 

[geoff Ives]

Why May 17th ?
Try to get it done in time for the next 'Front Runners' event.
Give us all something to look at.
Maybe I could arrange a 'Best 924 Cabriolet' award []

 

[tref]

Approximately 9 years ago I bought Claire, my wife a Golf cabrio as a wedding present. Next May, the 17th, will be our tenth wedding anniversary, and I said I would replace it with a Porsche cabrio...
I think front-runners would be a little too ambitious! I would love to be able to say we will bring the 944s along, but the organisation and events we attend within the Dorset region mean that we cannot commit to any more.

I heard previously that at a practical classics car show, the exhibit that caused the most interest was not any pristine example, but an unrestored, rusting Morris minor, pre-restoration! On that basis, we did discuss loading it on a trailer and bringing it along to the Dorset concour, 18th May, Kingston Lacy, Nr. Wimborne, Dorset... 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes for both visitors and masterclass, also have 944 register concour combined, £5 per car includes admission to Kingston Lacy grounds, no charge for entering concour...phew, didn't think I was going to get a plug in for that event!

Regards,

Tref.

 

[tref]

Ok, really gone and done it now...

Have bought a donor car... lucky enough to find one with a solid wing and running engine, so should make life a lot easier, apart from space at home at the moment...
As the Cab was in pieces to start with, it should mean I will learn during dismantling the correct routing of cables etc. Thinking about booking some holiday now so I can do the swap in one hit, and hopefully remember the dismantling sequence!

Tref.

 

[PaulHere]

Tref

Keep us up to date with the work you do with the car and take some piccys if you can.

Could even become a regular feature of the forum and my monthly Register re[port in Porsche Post []

I'd like to send you a couple of Register forms to record the details of the Cabrio and the donor car - let me know your e-mail address please.

Ta.

 

[tref]

Paul,

it is:

Tref@twillingham.freeserve.co.uk

Unfortunately I work away during the week, so only view Emails there at weekends (though Claire does foward important ones such as this!). Weekends I don't get to see this forum as I am invariably too busy to play with Norton to allow me access.

Latest update on the Cabrio, brakes are unseized, wheel bearings then proved to be ok for the time being, Claire has had a cleaning/painting spree under the arches, and on Saturday the remainder of the engine came out.

We have been taking pictures as we go, obviously updates will probably be here first, but happy to scan a few pictures and write a few words for Porsche Post if you like...

Best regards,

Tref.

 

[tref]

With the engine bay clear we have started to have a tidy up"¦ the offside chassis rail had little in the way of paint, and it looks as if the inner face has been replaced at some point "" accident damage? I assume the lack of paint is down to the heat of the turbo"¦should there be a heat shield down there? If so I suspect it is missing "" could this lead to corrosion to the point the chassis rail needs welding up? The other side of the same rail looks fine"¦

I took the sump off the old engine yesterday as well"¦ curiosity really"¦ I was expecting the crank to have tell-tale bits of bearing poking out of one of the caps, but no. All seems to be in one piece, but before the sludge (water in the sump from some-where "" head gasket failure? Engine hydrauliced?) fell into the underside of the pistons, it looked like number two had white fur around the bore to the underside of the piston A whole load of oil/paraffin that the previous owner had poured into the bores fell out of the ports of number two when the engine was inverted, so it certainly looks like number two piston seized in the bores"¦
Glad I have a donor engine now.

Tref.

 

[tref]

Still trying to track down the origins of this conversion,

I believe it may be from a kit of parts imported from Germany, manufactured by Bieber... anyone heard of them?

Thanks,

Tref.

 

[Johndstratford]

Tref

Did you know that there was an article on a company that did 924/944 conversions back in issue 4 (spring 1991) of 911 and Porsche World, also adverts for the company. The company was called "Porkies of Credition" and claimed to have "Full German TUV approval". The price for a full conversation was from £4,500 plus VAT.
Let me know if you would like a copy of the article.

Good luck with the restoration.

regards

John Stratford
1988 924S - Black
2001 2.7 Boxster - Black